Today’s Critical Deliverables Might Not Even Be Worth Working On

We have to collect new member’s data correctly, but we also have to welcome them warmly.

We have to make sure each attendee gets a badge, and we have to ensure they have a great experience within the first ten seconds of the conference.

We have to send out member marketing messages, and we have to invent the next new benefit.

Do you see where I’m going with this? We have to complete every transaction flawlessly, and we have to, at the same time, deliver exceptional customer service, become innovators, and think like strategists.

The problem is we are so time-starved we tend to focus on tasks that seem to need our attention right now. Often these tasks are transactional. The problem is when we do the transactional stuff, the work our members care about most does not get done.

The next time you are creating your strategic plan assess whether all that time implementing a new AMS, or rebranding your association, or creating tiered membership categories is worth it. Can we forgo some of the big transaction-focused projects this year in favor of some significant member experience, value, or engagement projects instead?